Forest Road 1
Forest Road 1 is the first encounter in Dragons Clash. Enemies *Royal Soldier (780 Gold, 96 XP, 60 Energy, 5 HP Normal, 6 HP Hard, 7 HP NM) Transcript Introduction "Bind their hands!" The shout comes from ahead, beyond where the road winds behind the trees and disappears from your sight. It stops you in your tracks. "Looks like we've found our bandits then," says Hugh. You nod to Tessa. She slips into the foliage to the left of the path, soon vanishing amongst the greenery. The rest of you follow, Hugh and the others who lack her stealth remaining at a distance so as not to betray her presence. But you were trained to stalk the woods of East Kruna, and catch up to her with quick yet silent footsteps. "Should just run them through," a man's voice says -- the speaker hidden by the trees and undergrowth that lie between you and the road. "Our orders are to hang them," a woman's voice replies. You recognize it as the one that shouted earlier, prompting your shortcut through the forest. You and Tessa creep forward, until gaps in the foliage bring the scene before you into sight. "Gods..." she whispers, the word heavy with surprise, anger, and frustration in spite of its near noiselessness. Through the leaves and branches you see men and women dressed for battle -- clad in mail shirts and coifs, swords and halberds in their hands. Each one wears a purple tabard, emblazoned with a golden dragon's head. It's a symbol you know well, one steeped in history, and your eyes fasten upon it. During the Drake War, Baron Arcadius Selutha led soldiers into battle -- one of the first nobles who chose to risk his hide in defense of the kingdom. He perished in the early days of the conflict, but not before he and his men slew a gold dragon. The dragon whose head would later adorn his family's crest, a symbol of their service during the war. These are the king's troops... In their midst is a group of men wearing tunics and jerkins instead of uniforms, their garments torn and disheveled. Some of their faces bruised, and one of them has blood leaking from both corners of his mouth -- as though he's a vampire fresh from a feast. You and Tessa turn to each other, and you read the look of worry on her face. If the king's forces are here, dealing with the local banditry they've so long neglected, it behooves you to withdraw. The time is far from right to make an attack on Crenus' soldiers. Such things must be left until you've built the support, amassed the forces, necessary to wage such a war. She begins to move away, back into the depths of the forest, and you turn to follow. Then the woman in the kind's colors speaks again, and her voice halts you in mid stride. "By order of His Majesty King Crenus, anyone fleeing from lawful conscription is to be hanged by the neck until dead." You turn around, and see one of the soldiers brandishing a length of rope -- its end tied in the strong and study noose favored by executioners. "If you wish, the sentence will be carried out here instead of in the town square," the woman continues, "that your kin might be spared the sight." You look to Tessa, who's at your side once more. She gives a resigned sigh. "Make sure none of them live to tell the tale," she whispers. Then she calls out, her voice mimicking the cry of a hawk, and there's a noise from behind as the rest of your companions approach through the undergrowth. Some of the soldiers whirl round, and raise their weapons as the sound reaches them. You draw your sword. Conclusion Two soldiers break away from the melee as the last of their comrades are cut down. One begins to run. He makes it a few paces before he tumbles, and rolls in the dust with Tessa's arrow in his neck. The other freezes in place, squealing in terror. "Wait! Wait!" she screams. She turns, and you see that she's a young woman -- perhaps no more than seventeen years old. The panic on her face and the terror in her eyes make her seem even younger -- little more than a child. "I'm a conscript! A conscript!" You pause, your sword hovering in the air. You'd been about to stride forward and run her through. But if she's a conscript, forced into the ranks against her will... "You lying cow!" Hugh says. He grunts as you meet his eyes. "They don't conscript women for soldiers. Only for mages and healers. And they don't send conscripts for things like this..." He gestures to the battered and bruised men behind you. "Too likely to just let them go. The bitch's a volunteer" There's a flash of movement in the corner of your vision, as the girl dives towards one of the bodies. You brace your blade for an attack, but it's not a weapon she's clutching for... She rises into a kneeling position, a war horn raised to her lips. She lets out one bellowing note before Hugh buries his cleaver in her skull, and it falls from her hands. "If there are more troops nearby..." Tessa says. You nod. If so, they won't be long in responding. "We should bugger off before they get here," Hugh says. Unless you want to fight a whole bloody army." "There's no army," says one of the former captives -- the man with blood dripping from either side of his mouth. "Crenus sent a band of his men to grab our iron mine, and send some of us north." "North?" Tessa asks. "But the fighting's in the west." "I only know what-" The man breaks off, as the sound of a horn rises up over the trees. More soldiers on their way... "Were there more of you who ran?" you ask. "That they went after?" "Yes." "Then we can't just leave them to be executed," you say. Tessa meets your gaze, and nods. Whatever your plans were, no one will respect the Kasan name if you flee now -- and leave these people to their fate. More gold dragons will be painted red before the day is out. Category:Dragons Clash